PENON DOME UNIVERSAL HYBRID IEM

Hello everyone, and thank you for joining. Today, I am reviewing the Penon Dome, a hybrid IEM with 1DD, 2 Sonion BA drivers, and 1 Knowles BA driver. This unit was sent by Penon for review purposes. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to them for providing me with the sample. The impressions in this review are in no way influenced. I write what I hear.

Penon is quite a well-known brand in the audiophile community. They have created their own segment. Most of the releases by Penon have been very well received. They have released IEMs with a variety of signatures. One of their latest releases, Quattro, has a very nice fan following. I reviewed Quattro sometime back. I enjoyed the musical and warm nature of the Quattro. Dome is a very different sounding IEM than the Quattro, I’ll try to compare Dome with some other IEMs to give a perspective on what to expect from Dome.

Penon Dome can be bought from here. Link



Rating Criteria:

I want to lay out my rating criteria before we start off. For me, the primary criterion for evaluating audio gear is its intrinsic value rather than its price tag. A higher price doesn't always correlate with superior quality, and similarly, a low-priced product can give enough listening pleasure for it to be called outstanding. I consider the build, features, and, most importantly, the impact on the listening experience. The fundamental purpose of audio gear is to enhance the listening experience. So for me, this degree of enhancement in the listening experience is a key determinant in rating a product.

Rating below 4: I really won't be posting reviews of such items unless someone has asked for them.
Rating of 4: The product is good, and some users may find it more satisfactory, but it does come with a few caveats, such as price, fit, etc.
Rating of 4.5: The product is excellent and comes with an easy recommendation, reflecting its high quality and overall positive attributes.
Rating of 5: This product can be deemed groundbreaking, a trendsetter, and an eye-opener and deserves a spot on everyone's list due to its exceptional features and outstanding performance.


Configuration (from the website):

Driver: 3 BA + 1 Dynamic driver hybrid; BA: 1 Knowles for high frequency, 2 Sonion for middle frequency
Dynamic driver type: 10mm PET diaphragm for low frequency
Impedance: 19ohm
Sensitivity: 107dB
Frequency response: 20-20kHz
Passive noise reduction: 26dB
Connector: 2pin 0.78mm
Cable length: 1.2M




Design, build, and fit:

Talking about the packaging, Penon Dome comes in a yellow box with similar packaging as Quattro. There are plenty of accessories inside the box. I really appreciate the variety of ear tips that Penon has offered with the Dome. There is this same blue case present inside, which Penon offers with many other IEMs.

The shells on Dome are handmade in medical-grade resin. It is very lightweight and quite easy on the ears. The shells do not exert any pressure, even in longer sessions. The nozzle is of a standard size, neither too short nor too long. For reducing pressure buildup, there is a vent present. I did not encounter any driver flex with Dome.

There are plenty of ear tips that comes with Dome. These tips are of different sizes and I am sure one would not need to look for different tips. Since the IEMs have a very nice build, they go easily with various types of tips. I paired the Dome with Spinfit W1, Azla SednaLight (MS), both of which go really well with the IEM. Azla adds some openness in the sound and is my preferred ear tips on Dome. I got a very decent fit with Tangzu Sancai balanced tips too.

In terms of isolation, these IEMs are above average. They block a good amount of outside noise. I would not take it out in public, though. With a good-fitting ear tip, the isolation is quite decent.




Sound Analysis:

For the sound impression, most of the time I pair Dome with my Lotoo Paw Gold Touch dap and, occasionally, with Earmen Angel. I paired the IEMs with stock cables (and some third-party cables too) and Spinfit W1 ear tips, size S.

Dome is a warm musical set to begin with. The sound has a good amount of bass, beautiful, lush, warm mids, and a treble that is non-offensive. The sound is all about sweetness. This sound prioritizes musicality over technical precision. However, in no way are the technicalities compromised.

The bass on Dome is rich and warm and has good thickness. It has a very good impact and plenty of quantity, with good layering and texture. However, it's not the most refined bass; it is more about adding to the musicality. There is a decent subbass presence, and it's plenty when called for. The bassline from something like a bass guitar is quite pleasant. The bass on Dome is not boomy or bloated in nature, or the kind of bass that sort of eclipses the higher frequencies. This bass is quite different than that of Quattro, where there is more of an analogous character and the bass envelopes the higher frequencies.

The mids on Dome are all about warmth and sweetness. There is a very decent resolution and clarity in the midrange. The lower midrange has a decent body to it. The upper mids are well extended and maintain a decent amount of energy. At no point did I find it to be peaky or extra sharp. I find the mids quite forward. Vocals have good texture. There is loads of sweetness in the female vocals. Midrange instruments have a very sweet and lifelike presentation. I prefer this midrange over Quattro.

Treble on Dome is not quite airy, but the details and energy are decent. Dome is good for people who don't want any unwanted sharpness and want a safer treble profile. This treble may not be well appreciated by trebleheads, though. I find it decent, as it really makes a case for longer sessions.

On the technical front, the soundstage is quite decent, with a good width and decent depth. There is a good separation of instruments; however, for busy musical sequences such as the metal genre, there is some lacking. Imaging is just decent, and there is nothing much to complain about given the price of this IEM. In terms of resolution, I would say there is a bit of a step back as well. I would have loved cleaner sound from Dome, but I think that's asking a lot from the IEM.




Source Pairing:

Dome is quite easy to drive. It does not ask for a lot of power. It can be easily paired with smartphones, too. I tried Dome with three different sources. The LPGT has a very decent synergy with the Dome. The bass has a good body, especially in the subbass region, which has a decent presence. In the mids, the LPGT adds nice warmth.

I quite liked the pairing with Quloos MUB1 too. There is such a sweetness in the sound of this pair; I absolutely love it. MUB1 is very resolving for a DAC/amp of it's size.

With Earmen Angel, I did not find the Dome pairing well, so I assume Dome does not need extra power. The dynamics are better at lower levels of power. With Angel, it just sounds off.




Cable Pairing:

The only thing I found lacking with the Dome is it's cable. While it gets the job done, I believe it holds back the Dome's full potential. I tried pairing it with some aftermarket cables, and here is what I found. It's clear: the Dome doesn't demand expensive cables to reveal its nuances. Even a modest cable can enhance the Dome's performance.

With the Letshuoer L-R Nebula Cable:

Letshuoer released this cable just a while ago. The Nebula cable exhibits the essence of a traditional copper cable. It enriches the lower frequencies, infusing them with added depth and character. The midrange also gets an improvement with some added richness. The overall resolution and clarity in the midrange are better with this cable. The stage is more intimate, and things come a lot more forward. A little bit of addition in treble energy would be really great, but the cable does not add much on that front.

With Aes Harmony from Gladiator Cable:

This cable features 6N pure Up-OCC copper wire with a thick silver plating. The configuration helps in maintaining a balance between warmth and detailing. The soundstage is a lot better with this cable, which spreads further in all directions. There is a nice refinement in the sound. The lows sound more balanced, with an evenness in the sub-bass and mid-bass. The mids have better resolution, and the cable adds a bit of crispiness. This cable does not add as much warmth as the Nebula does.


Comparisons:

With Kinera Freya2.0:

Freya2 has a similar configuration, equipped with a hybrid single 7mm dynamic and 3 BA drivers. Priced at $269 SRP this is one of Kinera’s midrange IEMs. In terms of overall design and presentation, we all know Kinera just goes over the top. Freya2 looks a lot more beautifully built and designed than the Dome. The cable that comes with it is a modular one and has a better build than that on the Dome.

However, it is the sound where Freya2 lacks too much. I do not think there is any attribute where Freya2 excels. Dome is a lot more musical than the gloomy characteristics of Freya2. In terms of technicalities too, Dome has quite an edge. It has a better soundstage and sounds very open compared to Freya2.


With Rose Technics QT-X:

Rose Technics QT-X is equipped with 1 dynamic driver and 6 BA drivers. The one I had tried was a value pack, which comes with a small dongle dac/amp too, making the whole package quite versatile. In terms of build and packaging, QT-X has an edge. The shells are lightweight and fit really well. The cable on it is a better one than the one on Dome.

In terms of sound, QT-X is tough competition. I love the bass on QT-X. The lows are quite deep, and the subbass has a good body. Dome has more quantity to it's bass but is not as refined. The mids, however, are more musical in nature on Dome. For some, the mids on QT-X may come a bit thin. In the upper frequency range, QT-X has a better presentation. There is more energy and better extension in the treble region on QT-X.

In terms of technicalities, QT-X gives a good fight too. The soundstage is decent on both of these IEMs. QT-X does better in terms of resolution. It has a cleaner sound. The notes are clean and crisp. I would say QT-X may have an edge. If at all we have to choose between the two IEMs, it would be more of a musicality vs. technicality thing.




With Penon Quattro:

The highly appreciated Penon Quattro is equipped with 4 dynamic drivers. It is priced at $399. The packaging on Quattro is nearly the same as with Dome. In terms of build quality, Quattro has an edge. Its shells are better built and are harder and tougher. The cable on Quattro is better than that on Dome. I really wish Penon provided this same cable, but that may add to the cost.

In terms of sound, these two sets have quite different characteristics, but they maintain the same philosophy: musicality over technicality. Quattro has a very distinct, warm signature and a coloured sound. There is a bass boost all around. This thick bass predominantly defines the signature of these IEMs. It's like everything sounds within a layer of bass. Dome, on the other hand, has a faster bass and a lower volume.

In mids, there is a lot of bass bleeding into mids on Quattro, while on Dome, the mids stay quite clean and there is no bass intrusion. In the upper mids region, there is a hint of shoutyness on Quattro, while Dome does not have any such thing. The treble on Quattro is darker than on Dome.

I think it's hard to compare Quattro with other IEMs. For the general public, Dome has a more likeable tuning, while Quattro has a very different tuning, which people can align with or may not.


Conclusion:

It is quite evident that Penon went the musical route while developing the Dome. They must have some special sauce to pull off such a musical IEM. The bass and mids on Dome strike a very nice balance. The bass never overwhelms yet maintains a satisfying depth, while the mids retain their sweetness, giving these IEMs a vibrant and natural quality sound. If someone is looking for a musical set without sacrificing a lot of technical aspects, Dome can be an easy recommendation. With both the Quattro and Dome boasting distinct yet appealing sound signatures, it's evident that Penon has a knack for finely tuning their IEMs. I must say I am very hopeful of what future releases they have in line. I would rate these IEMs at 4.5/5.

I've often wondered why sequels invariably suck.

The's lots of ways following up a big success can go wrong:

• Temptation to duplicate your previous formula... risk of producing a similar but inferior copy.
• Desire to try something completely different... risk it won't match your existing fans' taste.
• Pressure to add a new selling point but keep things the same... risk questionable stuff gets added just to differentiate from the original.

Why do I mention this? Back in October Penon Audio sent me a pair of ISN Neo5s which remain my #1 budget IEM champ of 2023. Me and my friends just love 'em.

So when I was offered a set of new Penon DOME IEMs in exchange for a review and saw they have virtually identical shells & nearly the same driver config and price... suddenly my excitement bubbled.

There's wasn't much to complain about with the Neo5s and lots to like, so I was skeptical they'd produce a better follow-up without ballooning the shells, driver count & price. Either way it'd be fascinating just to see the direction they took - stay true to the original, try something new or a slight variation?

It turns out the DOMEs are different to the Neo5s, and you're about to lean why.

Packaging​

The USD $349 Penon DOMEs arrive in the usual small yellow Penon cardboard box, inside of which is a fairly plush & well-made leather carry case that strikes a nice balance between being small enough to pocket but roomy enough to house the IEMs with a large 8 wire cable.

There's also a small leather accessories case, inside of which are three sets of silicone eartips in 3 sizes along with a shirt clip & cleaning tool.

The DOMEs come bundled with a very comfortable 8 wire silver-plated copper cable, in your choice of 4.4mm, 3.5mm or 2.5mm terminations.

Ergonomics​

The DOME's medical-grade resin shells are almost a carbon copy of the ISN Neo5s I've reviewed. They're tiny, very light & extremely well-sculpted to fit the ear, and are as effortlessly comfortable for prolonged use as any hybrid IEMs on the market I've tried.

They're also vented to alleviate pressure build-up, my only minor complaint is the metal nozzles – eartips don’t grip them as securely as nozzles sculpted from the resin itself, so my Spinfit W1 tips occasionally dislodge from the nozzles if I'm not careful to remove the DOMEs from my ears gently.

The stock cable is very light & flexible, with no microphonics or memory effect.

Sound Impressions​

I've tested the DOMEs using a Hiby R6 Pro II set to Hi-gain in AB mode, with the DOMEs requiring a volume level of 22.

The DOMEs reveal themselves as moderately warm, well balanced all-rounders with tastefully elevated levels of bass - they don't do a lot wrong. They're tuned for musical enjoyment rather than 'accuracy' in a reference sense, but are neutral enough they get out of the way of the music quite well and avoid feeling excessively coloured, yet are warm & bassy enough they won't come across as lean or thin.

The DOMEs avoid earning those "flat" and "boring" monikers often levelled at IEMs like U12Ts or Monarch MKIIs, but don't quite possess their refinement either, and in the tradeoff between accuracy & musicality lean towards the latter.





There's a great balance between sub & midbass output, and which is more prevalent is determined more by each particular track or album. What's really impressive is how responsive DOME's DD bass driver is - having absolutely no issues keeping up with the fastest paced music you can throw at it. The downside is bass decay isn't as slow as bassheads may like, though bass slam & texture are still decent with quantity still well above neutral.

The midrange is tastefully warm without retreating too far from neutrality. I can imagine some listeners preferring even more warmth with a bit of extra lower midrange boost, but instead the DOME takes a measured approach to strike a balance between maintaining clarity without sounding lean.

Finally, treble is quite dark and it feels like Penon have deliberately reeled in this area to prevent the DOMEs fatiguing treble-sensitive ears. I'd prefer some extra upper-treble sparkle, and although DOME's treble is perfectly capable this is probably the area where quality suffers most in comparisons to IEMs with multi-thousand dollar price tags.

Technical Performance​

DOME's soundstage is decently wide & spacious for an IEM of this pricepoint, avoiding any feelings of congestion. Stage depth isn't as impressive, but isn't as wafer-thin as we often find with entry level IEMs. That said that I find soundstage depth is one of those attributes we rarely see in abundance from earphones under $500, so this isn't unusual.

Dynamics are excellent, with instruments distinguishing themselves from background noise levels commendably. It's a quality that enhances my enjoyment significantly and DOME has it in spades.

Imaging is decent for the price. There isn't the sense of razor-sharp pinpoint imaging we expect from top-tier IEMs with EST or BCD drivers, but nor is imaging vague enough to stand out as a problem.

Similarly resolution doesn't call attention to itself as exceptional, but I don't get the feeling important details are being obscured. The addition of ESTs (and more upper treble sparkle in general) would be nice, but then the DOMEs shells & price would grow considerably.

IEM Comparisons​

I compared the DOMEs with a number of earphones using the Hiby R6 Pro II set to Hi-gain in AB mode, with the DOME's requiring a volume level of 22.



ISN Neo5 – 4xBA 1xDD (USD $289)



The Neo5's shells are almost identical to those of the DOMEs, as are comfort levels between them. The Neo5s require 21 volume on the R6P2 so they're similarly easy to drive.

The Neo5s are more unashamedly bass dominant with bass that goes deeper with more satisfying decay, though their DD is slower than the DOME's so bass isn't kept as tightly in check, clouding the rest of the presentation with additional rumble though note weight does seem to benefit.

Neo5's midrange is more biased towards lower rather than upper mids, and I prefer their tonality which sound earthier. Both IEMs feature similarly dark treble, and though the Neo5s boast a slightly wider stage the DOME's may be a little deeper. They're both very dynamic & similarly resolving, however the DOMEs separate instruments better during complex passages thanks to their faster DD.

The two IEMs share a lot in common - the DOMEs feel like cleaner, more polite & less bassy Neo5s.



Penon Globe – 2xBA, 1xDD (USD $329)



The Globes are slightly larger & stick out more but comfort is very similar. Needing 21 volume on the R6P2 they're similarly easy to drive.

Much more of a midrange specialist, the Globes have very forward vocals impressively spotlit against the rest of the presentation that really grab you with their presence & resolution while everything else takes a backseat. The DOMEs are more balanced across all frequencies, with the Globes' bass in particular being lower in quantity and a bit limp in texture.

The Globes aren't quite as warm either, with the DOMEs displaying better note weight and a slightly deeper soundstage. The Globes' stage is a little wider, but feels stretched in a way I don't like and they can come across as slightly diffuse at times though resolution between the two IEMs feels similar.

The DOMEs are better all-rounders, but the Globe midrange has a magic the DOMEs lack though much is sacrificed for it.



ISN EST50 – 2xBA, 1xDD, 2xEST (USD $449)



The EST50s are quite a bit larger and stick out further, but the DOMEs are only slightly more comfortable. Requiring 20 volume on the R6P2 they're similarly easy to drive.

Surprisingly the DOMEs demonstrate better bass texture as EST50 bass feels a tad pillowy, and their DD bass driver is much slower. The EST50s are more V-shaped and bass dominant, whereas the DOMEs feel flatter and more tonally balanced. Treble on the EST50s is not only more prevalent but is of higher quality thanks to its' EST drivers.

Perhaps in part thanks to their brighter presentation the EST50s deliver more microdetail & higher resolution, with a soundstage that feels narrower but a touch deeper, thought instruments are separated better on the DOMEs with a stage that feels less congested. The DOMEs are the safer option if treble sensitivity is something you have an issue with.



Penon Turbo - 6xBA (USD $549)



Turbo's shells are similarly sized and equally as comfortable though their rounder shells seal slightly more strongly, but requiring 27 volume on the R6P2 they're a bit harder to drive. I keep Turbo's tuning switches in their stock positions.

I immediately notice Turbos feature much greater bass quantity though it's largely extra midbass. Unfortunately bass texture is a little mushier on the Turbos with slightly less slam. The DOMEs are warmer with Turbos emphasising the upper midrange more, and both are similarly dark in the treble.

Interestingly I don't notice the Turbos being much faster when it comes to busy passages of music, though they are a little more dynamic with a blacker background, slightly higher resolution, sharper imaging and they also layer sounds better than the DOMEs.



Thieaudio Monarch MKIII - 6xBA, 2xDD, 2xEST (USD $999)



I also compared the DOMEs to IEMs at Addicted to Audio during a recent Head-Fi members meetup.

Monarch MKIII's are quite chunky and fit me very snugly. They isolate a bit better than the DOMEs but aren't quite as comfortable, and also require quite a bit more power at 30 volume on the R6P2.

The DOMEs may have a slightly deeper soundstage and a minor edge in dynamics, but in other facets the Monarch MKIII's pull ahead with a bit more sub bass though overall bass quantity is similar, a midrange that's biased more towards the lower rather upper midrange & consequently has a more natural tonality than the DOME's, and higher quality EST-fuelled treble with a greater feeling of refinement.

Monarch MKIII's stage is wider, imaging more precise, resolution is higher & instruments sound larger.



Campfire Andromeda Emerald Sea - 5xBA (USD $1399)



Andromeda Emerald Sea have some of the most beautiful, exquisitely smooth-finished metal shells of any IEM I've tried. They're about the same size as the DOMEs, don't feel much heavier and are similarly comfortable. Requiring 18 volume on the R6P2 they're a bit easier to drive.

Unfortunately Emerald Sea are second only to the Blessing 3s as the worst IEMs I've demoed this year, they're an irredeemable trainwreck. The first thing I notice is how boomy they sound, almost as if a wonky reverb filter has been added to the music. They're incredibly coloured & muddy, with excessive lower midrange boost and bass that sounds very hollow.

Emerald Sea also feel embarrassingly lacking in resolution with excessive warmth clouding the presentation, and though their soundstage is deeper than DOME's it also feels narrower. Emerald Sea feel like a failed attempt to emulate the unique FIR XE6 tuning, and make the vastly less expensive DOMEs feel smoother & more refined by comparison.

Amplification Performance​

I recently received a Mass Kobo 475 portable earphone amp and am keen to learn how the DOMEs scale with better amplification. I rate the 475 as simply the best portable amp money can buy, it’s fully balanced with 4.4mm input & output, delivering 2.3V RMS from its’ balanced jack.

It's obvious at once the DOMEs love amplification. Dynamics improve substantially & so does note weight, two areas the DOMEs weren't lacking in so they're now pushed into seriously impressive territory.

Soundstage depth & layering improve quite a bit, by contrast these are areas the DOMEs underperform without the extra grunt. However where I really notice the biggest change is how much richer & more effortlessly resolving vocals are - it almost feels like a handful of extra Sonion BAs have been jammed in there, and the DOMEs transform from having a midrange that's pleasant enough without being spectacular, to one I find immensely more engaging.

Of course the stage is also wider, the background is blacker and imaging is more defined, but it's mostly those stage depth & midrange improvements that transform the DOME experience for me. Admittedly the 475 amp is as good as it gets by portable standards so lesser amps won't deliver benefits of quite the same magnitude, but this gives you some idea of how much for potential for scaling is there.

Cable Comparisons​

Naturally I tested the DOMEs with a number of cables from my collection, and interestingly find they don't scale with cables quite as dramatically as other Penon IEMs.

I've noted improvements in many areas by rolling cables but the magnitude of those changes is slightly down on what I'm used to seeing, though it's difficult know if that's the result of DOME's driver configuration, tuning or both.



ISN S4 (USD $55)



I was keen to learn if the Neo5's stock cable would make the DOME's sound more similar to them.

The S4 makes the DOME midrange feel slightly more resolving and bass may be a bit more impactful, there's also a tiny bit more treble sparkle. It feels like the stage is being stretched a little wider, though it also feels a touch shallower. Tonally the balance shifts away from the lower midrange with a slightly cooler tonality, and I do prefer the stock cable in that department.



NiceHCK FirstTouch (USD $89)



This cable reduces DOME's treble to produce a darker tonality, with bass hitting a bit harder. Thanks to a blacker background midrange resolution is more impressive which is FirstTouch's standout quality.

The soundstage also feels slightly wider & deeper and dynamics are enhanced a little. FirstTouch's sonic improvements aren't as dramatic DragonScale's below, but this is a far better cable ergonomically with very soft nylon braiding - as opposed to DragonScale being quite stiff below the Y-split due to what feels like additional shielding.



NiceHCK DragonScale (USD $157)



DragonScale grows the soundstage in all directions, making everything feel larger with a greater sense of scale that's easily noticeable, with what feels like more space between notes to give the performance much more room to breathe.

Although resolution & dynamics are also improved, the downside is the tonality shifts upwards with greater emphasis on the upper midrange & treble that doesn't feel quite as earthy, and vocals are pushed back in a way I don't care for though there's no doubting the stage improvements.



Effect Audio Ares S 4 Wire (USD $179)



This is an impressive pairing, with Ares S delivering slightly more bass punch through an increase to midbass, generating a warmer tone yet surprisingly also makes vocals feel a bit more resolving.

The DOME stock cable feels slightly brighter by comparison, but Ares S boasts a slightly blacker background with both a wider & deeper stage and I'm surprised how much more spacious it feels even though the dimensions aren't drastically different.



Effect Audio Code 23 (USD $599)



With some of the most questionable ergonomics of any cable, Code 23 is certainly unique. I immediately notice the soundstage improvements this cable is famed for, with the stage both widening & deepening though not quite to the extent I'd hoped.

Vocals are more forward on Code 23, with enhanced midrange resolution, slightly deeper bass and improved dynamics. However I find the amount of improvement in each department to be very minor, which makes this pairing feel like a letdown given the cable's cost & excessive stiffness.

Conclusion​

It's tough to know if expecting the Penon DOMEs to emulate the Neo5s is an unfair comparison I'm making because they look the same, and I'd give anything for a Neo5 on steroids.

Some listeners are going to love that the DOMEs are a more polite & 'correct' sounding offshoot of the the Neo5 formula, and there's no doubting they're capable & versatile all-rounders in their own right. I just happen to prefer the more exaggerated & fun tuning of the Neo5s, though there's no doubt the DOME's DD is much faster which does address one of the Neo5's few shortcomings.

Penon sell a range of IEMs that cater to an assortment of tastes, so this is another solid option which doesn't do a lot wrong.

Meanwhile a true Neo5 successor remains high on the list of stuff I can't wait for in 2024... so which title do you like for the sequel - The Empire Strikes Bass or Return of the Boom?

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.2/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 7.5/10
TIMBRE: 9/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
ACCESSORIES: 10/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.2/10

Penon don’t need lenghty introduction, they are the oldest and more experienced ‘’chifi’’ seller, but not only since they even sale western brand like IMR Acoustic.
Let just say Penon are different and truly passionate about audio product to the point of tuning and manufacturing their own IEMs under Penon and ISN companies.

Ive review tremendous amount of their IEMs, loving about 90% of them. Musicality is their aim first and foremost, whatever number of drivers or tech they use. In that regard: they are big Winner to me.

But I’m already too lenghty, today I will review their latest hybrid offering call the Penon Globe.

Priced 350$, the Dome is an hybrid IEM using 1x 10mm PET diaphragm for low, 2 Sonion balanced armature for mids and 1 knowles BA for highs.

I do think it’s purpose is to replace or upgrade the well received Penon Globe.

Let see in this review if Penon hit the ‘’sweet spot of musicality and tonal balance’’ with good enough technical performance again and if it should be put on your buy list for christmass!


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES

The Dome construction is quite good and similar to the Globe apart different face plate and a metal nozzle.
The material for housing is medical grade resin which is smoother and slippy, thick and durable. One of my fav material for IEM and whole iem feel molded in one piece, not with a cheaply sticken back plate waiting to pop out.
2Pin connector aren’t recessed and placed on slightly curved top of Dome, which can make the connection a bit anxiogenic in the sens the pin can bent if you aren’t accurate enough in alignment of the pins.
Housing size is average, a bit chunky but not very big overall and ergonomic ‘’ear print like’’ shape is very comfy and versatile for both shallow and deep fit.



As always with Penon IEMs it come in minimalist package with maximalist accessories.
As I like.
We have the excellent Penon carrying case which is big enough for 3 cable and 4-5iems, yet more compact that other offering I own. This is my fav carrying case.
Then a very nice cable, 8 strand silver plated that feel very sturdy and benefit the warm tonality of Dome. You can choose it in 3.5mm singled ended or 2.5mm -4.4mm balanced.
Then you have the leather cable pouch and cable holder.
9 pairs of well choosen silicon eartips in 3 models.
And a cleaning too and cable clip.
As always, quite irreprochable accessories wise.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS


If you have heard IEM like ISN H50, Neo5 or even Penon Globe, you will be in familiar cozzy ground with the lush balanced V shape tonality of the Dome.
The Dome is very bassy, gently warm and near mid centric since mid range is lush, thick and fullied bodied due to good amount of lower mid range warmth and density.
Yet, it’s too balanced to be called basshead and the hybrid configuration bypass mudyness of such tonal balance, thanks to the 3 balanced armature that permit good layering articulation and separation.
The Dome are all sweetness, smooth and round as a whole, organic in cohesion, as natural in timbre as it can get with BAs and very lively in macro dynamic without going into fatiguing or spiky brightness territory.

This isn’t a technical or analytical sounding set that blow your mind with boosted clarity and crazy amount of micro details. And while not very airy or sparkly on top, the soundstage is impressively wide and tall avoiding unidimensional spatiality that lack instruments definition and tactility and instead offer immersive holographic musical readibility.

Like I often say with Penon IEMs, bass and vocal lover are spoil as well as those audiophile that can’t find their musical pleasure and emotional response reach in Harman target tuned earphones that invade nowadays Chifi market.

The bass seem to be the most boosted part of spectrum here and do dominate audio spectrum without mixing in a messy way. Instead it act like a dense bass shelf for mids to built on, which densify timbre by adding lower harmonic fullness and warmth to vocal and instrument. Instead of muddying them, it darken the edgyness of definition and stretch the instrument presence in hazy 3D wideness.
Yes the Dome offer a colored sound that we can call buttery, velvety since both texture of dynamicdriver and balanced armature mix togheter organicaly, adding colorful richness to the mids and bass instead of texture micro details and grain.
The sub bass is thick, with an elastic rumble sustain that don’t create unwanted resonance, it extract meaty bass line in body more than forced presence brighness. Synth bass will be lush and roundly layered above the kick drum, while cello will be lush and vibrant and double bass will gain extra weight instead of long airy clean extension.
The slam isn’t loose here, and even offer hard warm thumping, it hit big and loud with great sens of tactility. It especially do well with R&B, funk, soul, rap and electronic. Artist like Kaytranada or Ravyn Lenae shine with the Dome.
While well layered, the bass separation isn’t clean nor edgy, we don’t have lower mid range scoop that widen separation with mids here so the warm do embrace and darken mid range.
Are we in guilty pleasure territory? Well I guess we are, but for those that hate thin dry bass, this is a big plus and I’m one of those people. As well, I find the bass performance quite versatile since double bass in jazz band don’t sound boomy, it underline the eleasticity of attack and release.

The mid range is lush, thick and hint dark. We don’t have intense upper mids boost that foward presence agressively and can fatigue the listener with shoutyness, yet it’s far from lean in dynamic so upper mids are dynamic too and well rounded within mids package.
With the Dome you are near the instrument, so it’s not recessed mids and center stage don’t feel lifeless and far away, but this mean it’s not crisp open mids too, nor very transparent and higly resolve.
If you seek monitor IEM, the Dome is the opposite of that since it favor tone fullness before presence brightness and imaging readibility isn’t sharpen.
Woodwind instrument and vocal sound better and more fully restitute than piano and violin which are more affected in definition edge polishing than saxophone wich don’t need as much lead attack bite and accuracy.
The saxophone sound marvelously lush, dense and rich in presence, the air is tactile and delimitate the sirupy presence, it never feel compressed or thin, nor can distract the listener with over boosted texture details that make the woodwind blowing lipsy and wetty.
As for piano, it’s far from bad since the balanced armature permit fast rendering of every note which have good impact weight but warmed definition edge and short and colored resonance release, I do struggle to know if pianist press the sustain pedal.
I don’t think I would suggest the Dome for symphony or classical music, apart if solo cello which sound highly musical and full. Definition of each instrument isn’t sharp and clean enough to properly discernate them in soundscape and violin attack is softed in mids and lower treble, which make it even harder to grab.
But this doesn’t mean it sound bad at all, in fact, violin are sweet and lush sounding, free of sibilance or harsh metallic bowing, yet, unless in very high pitch the presence will be hard to delimitate as said.
When it come to timbre, don’t be afraid about balanced armature infamous ‘’metallic sheen’’ since their none here and unless you listen at max volume to the point of making BA struggle with vibration, you will not heard micro distortion grain. I’ve try multiple source and only thing I can pick up is slight brightness in vocal breath release but it might be due to slight treble boost around 8khz.

All in all, I love the mid range colorful flavor of the Dome which isn’t too salted with upper mids, yet got lot of lower mids sweetness.


And now the understated treble. Firstly, the Dome are certainly not aim for treble head as well as those brilliance and sparkle lover. While I don’t like unbalanced highs that force you to put in front stage the high pitch instrument and bombard you with percussions fowardness, I do enjoy crisp airy one as well as refined sparkle resonance that blossom in the air.
Here, highs are a bit dark, they are anti-trebly and rolled off pass 10khz, yet it’s not plain dull and we have a bit of spice for extra snap with certain instrument like acoustic guitar don’t feel too scooped in attack lead and have enough metallic bite, but the release will not be long nor very clean or sparkly.
This kind of darkish treble avoid the lack of energy with this extra snap to some percussions and instrument, like wood block, snare and high pitch cymbal.
Splash cymbal aren’t splashy nor shrill, but the release is thicken and a bit hazy.
Since I don’t graph my IEM, I can’t say which exact treble section I feel have a slight sudden bump, but as noted, some instrument range will feel louder in highest harmonic, this include piano too and violin as say before, so this peculiar mid treble boost add energy to macro dynamic and barely make me consider the Dome as W shape in balance.
What I mean with that is piano feel leaner in mid range and 7th octave note jump more in my face.
Apart this the treble feel linear in balance, full and not thin nor lacking in fullness of instrument restitution.
The level of micro details isn’t plenty so don’t expect a statement like ‘’I heard things ive never heard before’’ with the Dome.
It’s organic as a whole in balance with rest of spectrum, highs don’t boost texture noise and is permissive of bad recording since it damp background hissing of old blues recording like Skip James or Billie Holidays which I can focus on their voice better and don’t get annoy with extra background hiss and noise,
Overall this is a safe treble here that is well balanced and complemented beautifully the tonality sweetness.

The soundstage is quite impressive and quite an improvement from the Globe in the sens its very wide and tall with right ear tips and when their no big bass occuring the depth is good too. You’r in the middle of spatiality surrounded by instrument that aren’t too far yet have good multi layering.

But the warm tonality don’t favor imaging precision and bassy music will get bass opacity in background that stole proper separation definition of instrument by adding sound particule in the clean air between them. In that regard, Dome isn’t impressive and lack sharp definition of each instrument positioning as well as proper clean space between sound layers.

SIDE NOTE

At 19ohm of impedance and 107db of sensitivity, the Dome aren’t exactly what I would call neither hard to drive or very sensitive to source impedance gain.
Yet ill suggest a source with at least 100mw@32ohm of power and an impedance output lower than 2ohm to be sure it will not excited or unbalance drivers.
These benefit from clean crisp source due to there warm nature, so not a good bet for super warm or euphonic dongle or source ill say.
Ear tips wise the one included are good enough and offer open and dynamic sound.
Cable too is good enough, I will never use an all copper cable with Dome for ex.

COMPARISONS

VS Kinera Freya 2.0 (DD+3BA-270$)

The Dome is warmer, lusher, smoother, more balanced and clean sounding as well as just slightly bassier, with notably greater bass performance.
It’s evident all drivers used are superior here, both in attack control and timbre micro distortion. The 2 sonion BA dealing with mid range deliver lusher and more natural mids, with more realistic and less rough tone and wider better rounded presence of each instrument. Upper mids are more butter and liquid in edge, it melt like honey in the ears and offer way more musical female vocal as well as fuller bodied male vocal.
The DD too is next level compared to Freya, it extend deeper with greater headroom slam free of problematic resonance so sub is thicker as well as kick drum and mid bass more rounded and bodied, attack speed is faster and more controled and layered is cleaner, so the bass is more separate with mids. Freya sound quite boomy and muddy compared to Dome even if it doesn’t rumble as much and offer as fun and muscular impact.
The treble of both these IEM is a bit dark, but again, Dome is more refined and better balanced though it lack air too as well as sparkle we don’t have texture or tone imbalance and the snare isn’t jumpin at you as much. It follow more evenlyn the tuning target it aim, which is notably more versatile.
The soundstage is notably wider and taller but about same depth.
Imaging is a bit cleaner and while resolution is less bright and can feel smoother, transparency is superior and layering separation don’t mix their energy togheter as much, so with some effort the listener can find more instrument positioning than with Freya that will go too messy in busy music.

All in all I think it’s evident whoe the winner is here. Tonality is more natural and balanced as well as smoother and more immersive with Dome and technical performance even if not magnify with treble boost are superior in attack control, macro dynamic rendering, bass extension and sound layering articulation and readibility.

VS HIDIZS MS5 (1DD+4BA-400$)

The MS5 are brighter and more U shape.
The timbre is thinner and less natural.
The bass is cleaner, less dynamic, thinner and feel detached and less cohesive with whole spectrum. Dome have rounder and rumblier slam, chunkier warmer timbre, more bass bleed and strangely, it feel positive here since it thicken mids.
Mids are more recessed, shouty, thin and dry with the MS5, vocal sound wonky and I tend to lower volume to endure or bypass them. Transparency, sens of openess is higher with MS5.
So treble is more boosted, instrument presence more edgy, percussions more forwards, again all in a more artificial, dry and thin way.
Soundstage is wider and taller with the Dome, deeper with the MS5 due to more recessed center stage to magnify sens of holography.
Imaging is sharper with the MS5, instrument don’t mix togheter in sirupy macro rendering….but accuracy of this imaging is questionnable since percussions dance all around in a distracting way and bass lack tactile low end so….yes, more techical sounding still is the MS5.

All in all, tonaly wise MS5 is quite a disaster compared to lusher, more cohesive tuning of Dome. Technicalities are on par but boosted to the bone with MS5 so Dome which is darker overall sound less impressive in clarity and imaging.

CONCLUSION



The Penon Dome is all about lush and bassy musicality, it’s not a technical sounding set nor a monitoring one.

It’s purpose is to make musicality alive, engaging and fun, dynamic weighty and full, natural and dense in timbre and it use hybrid configuration to avoid it being plain guilty pleasure.

The Dome is the answer to those that find mids either too bright-shouty, thin or recessed and favor tone sweetness above presence of instrument with boosted fake clarity.

You can get lost in these easily, immerse for long listening laid back tonality with proper bass slam and vibrant rumble, it’s near basshead yet too well balanced to be called so. If you know what you buying. Which I hope my review help a bit to do so!

To my ears, it’s highly recommended even if no end game in term of technical performance.

---------------------------------

PS: I want to thanks Penon forr sending me this review sample. As always, I have no direct affiliation nor any self-interest bias in my subjective audio impressions.

You can order the Dome from official Penon store, they are on Black Friday sale right now for 314.10$ instead of 350$ normal price:
https://penon-official.com/product/penon-dome/

What would happen on some wild night - The PENON Turbo got together with The ISN Neo5 and had a love child?

Penon Dome would be the love child! Yes sir that's what you would get.

Very well done highs even with 6-7k siblance dip from Neo5

Smooth lush vocals of Turbo
Mids to die for.

Dynamic Driver Organic Bass of Neo5 just with less mid bass , faster than the Neo5 but less quantity and no bass bleed because of the slightly scooped out Lower Bass.

Probably a even more natural sounding tonality than Turbo and Neo5

The Dome is going to hit the market with slightly different PENON Tuning that what I have heard before while keeping the house sound.

The Mommy Turbo is the more energetic Detail beast with almost DD like bass and micro details in spades. Best for female vocals and BA/DD bass DNA

The Daddy Neo5 is the Barratone thicker warmer bass beast that likes to be spanked.
Best for bassheads and male vocal lovers that dont mind a bit of colored bass bleed.

The Baby Dome is the well behaved child with well done organic full spectrum and a well controlled bass that hits between the two , probably the nicest most organic vocals in both male and female out of the 3.

This puts the Dome in its own space and reserves it's place in the PENON/ISN world.

Watch Video and some observations with sources and tips for they played a huge part in theese initial impressions.

Summery:
The new 2023 Penon DOME is a new generation of IEM. Added sound tubes and driver BA and DD qualities have raised the bar of what was previously understood and acceptable…….even from Penon themselves. Priced near the same as the $329.00 Penon Globe, the $349.00 Penon DOME has one extra Sonion BA for the midrange than the Globe. But more than that, everything is bigger as far as stage footprint. More midrange quality than the new Penon 10th Anniversary and maybe even more sonic balance and even-correctness than anything (maybe) ever made from Penon/ISN? Yep, the results are real here, providing an enhanced musical involvement that simply won’t let up. Combining those facts with an uncanny well-roundedness means you can access any file quality and any genre of music to Fsssssssst…….win. Yep, total win here. In fact you don’t even need to read this long review, why read it really, all you need to know is above in this short description. Just buy the darn thing and move on with whatever you were doing……seriously! Yep, just like that!

$349.00
https://penonaudio.com/PENON-DOME

Penon DOME Universal IEM:

• Resin shell, comfortable to wear.
• Handmade, solid and more durable.
• 2 Sonion BA for medium frequency
• 1 Knowles BA for high frequency
• 1 10mm PET diaphragm for low frequency
• Impedance: 19 ohm
• Sensitivity: 107dB
• Frequency response range :20-20kHz
• Passive noise reduction: 26dB

Music Testing:
Test equipment is the DOME IEM, the Penon ASOS cable and the Sony WM1A with MrWalkman’s firmware. My usual wide-bore ear-tips are used.


Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski
Grand Turismo OST
Academy Race
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
At the 00:11 mark the deepness of the bass is intoxicating. This ASOS cable is bringing clarity and involvement to our listening session. In fact I tried 7 other cables besides the ASOS and stock. The coincidental thing is the ASOS came as an added cable to review with the DOME? Anyways what is happening is we are getting spacial clues as to the positioning. The song has so many added features and accents that having this specific level of DOME replay makes it a joy. At exactly 00:16 a drum hit takes place as an introduction, with these sound effects which are moving. The sound effects may have Doppler processing as every sound is moving across our hearing with speed……and I have to say if you wanted to give the feeling of motion to a listener, then this movie OST takes the cake!



Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Brotherhood
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
One of my most favorite aspects of this song starts at the beginning. Yet even though the bass is at the start, it continues throughout the song (until the end) and is in many ways the backbone of the song. At 00:08 this syncopated bass rhythm takes place. And being that this is a racing video game OST you can kinda guess the importance of such a bass synth additive. And of course there are sections of remission of this device use, brake-downs that need the silence for a moment. Yet this deep throb really makes the song for me. It’s the foundation to which all else is added. But more than that the way the DOME plays it back is with both finesse and charm. The charm is just how clear yet separated it eventually becomes. Separated into its own channel. So the bass is tight, fast and delineated, and really more emotional than the Globe before it. Emotional due to both texture and size, the Globe did other things, and while both the Orb and the Globe were known for their bass replay, we are now on a whole different level of perception. What I would call this bass is in the pocket. The pocket is both a rhythm and a bounce, a frequency display that while notable, is still leaving so much headroom for all the other activities to go on. Now prior I left a small part out of the 00:08 feature as it is not just bass but at that exact time is also the arrival of the beat. So it’s almost like this heartbeat and instantly there is also the main theme of keys being played on top. These keys are panned to the left and right as an effect, they also have echo and reverberation. Yet what is special is how the echo is aligned with the beat, which is also aligned with the bass throbs. Now this may sound interesting or maybe not, to you? But what is fabulous is the way each element has their section, but not only their section but there is a sparkle to the cleanness here that just makes it all the more interesting. So it comes off simple and in many ways it is a simple number, except there are slight accents in all the best of places. But I have left one single super important feature here that is the key.

The key is the DOME imaging placement. You see, each IEM driver methodology has a character of positioning. Yep, this often will get played back in more of an up-down style of layering. Such effects would be from single full-range dynamic drivers….only here we have a Hybrid set-up. So just imagine with me that bass I was talking about earlier…..yes it is in its own zone. Then the best part is how the keys are way out to the side, but then there is a middle synth which is in a frequency between the keys and the bass. Yet the surprising thing is how that even has a farther reach into the soundstage distance. I mean this Brotherhood song is only 02:13 total in length, yet there is a lot here. At 44:00 the middle synth shows up and has the effect of showcasing a totally new area of the stage, one that you didn’t even realize existed up until the 44:00 mark. You see this is what Hybrids are about, they are the best (widest) stage possible. Except the final feature is that everything sounds exactly the way it should. I’m talking about timbre. You see we are miles away from what all BA IEMs were like in 2019. We now have a woofer, our 10mm PET diaphragm has decays and natural abilities the BAs just can’t quite reach. But also there are 2 Sonion BAs in the middle, and one Knowles tweeter. Each component has its own channel, its very own sound transfer tube within the IEM. Yet almost as important is what timbre is like now with this new generation of BAs. It’s simply more dialed in, more natural and more life-like. Sonion and Knowles both are making this metallic tone a thing of the past. Part of it is the tune, meaning making the BAs put out a certain quality, part of it is having a DD woofer…..but the main thing I’m guessing is these are new generations of BAs, BAs that just sound realistic?

Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Head Down
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Here we are provided with a kind of backdrop, you see this is not a racing movie like the very first song described with the Grand Turismo OST. Here who knows as this theme may get used over and over as the cars race across the virtual reality race track. And that is kind of how the song presents itself, as a kind of circling and repetitious additive. That here maybe we don’t necessarily have any one thing which stands out, I mean they don’t want to distract you from your race here. So as far as events they are subtle and encouraging to play along with the video game. As an OST listener yet we still have enough information to go ahead and enjoy what’s going on. And the DOME makes it all the more friendly here. As we are experiencing an even and complete replay to where there is just enough bass support, just enough separation going on and sumptuous treble itemizations flowing freely. This is the kind of song that like the above is also a construction of layers and layers to become a multitrack specimen of music art, yet there are no vocals and no real forms of musical leads or a center for improvisations or virtuosos to take place, yet we are OK here with that, in that the overall artistic statement is one of support and utility.



Gdanian
Induction
Shield Emitter (feat. Tineidae)
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Wow, I’m going to do this song here? Wow! Yep, a spectacle of entertainment unto itself. Especially how the DOME takes this apart and makes it both fun and digestible? There are a few backwards cymbals or something? I mean they’re backwards…….so what do you want me to do to describe them to you? I could play the song in reverse then identify the musical instruments, but I’m lazy! It doesn’t matter what sounds they are, they are simply an additive yet subtle addition to the start of the song. What’s important is the bass drop at 00:13! Yep, all of it. This is also the part where they add a soaring synth theme. Sure it’s right away, except this is the third song on the album and the first two songs were really the introduction to this third number. Anyway the bass is found full and out to the side, out to both sides of the stage. Even at 00:46 we understand that the musicians were taught in school to fill-out the sonic frequency spectrum here, and they are doing what they are taught. And sure I’ve heard this with even better separation of layers (up-and-down) with the SIMGOT EA1000, yet not in this style of wideness which is taking place. There is simply more room out to the outskirts of the head-stage to be able to identify each and every facet of this playback. The song is still going somewhere as far as coming up with new sonic interests. There is a clock ticking at 01:20 and I get the feeling this music is in reality some kind of activist global warming statement. Which is fine as I’m OK with any message they want to include with our music. At 01:32 all heck breaks loose as we are now experiencing that power of the music. All the layers are taking place and there becomes an increase in drama unfolding. What’s funny is I just used this song on another IEM review, but failed to hear into it as much, as somehow the messages from the instrumentation is that much clearer and more involved? At 02:24 there is a break in the intensity. Surely there is a limit as to how many tracks of overboard synthesizer tracks they can bombard us with. We are given a single beat as a clue as to the change, and of course the bass is once again provided in all its provocativeness.

The cable explorations:
The included cable. While nothing is wrong with what Penon gives you in the box, keep in mind Penon was a cable builder first, so there is no way that they would go wrong with a style of included cable. As such the included cable is exactly like the one that came with the Penon Orb and Penon Globe. Only nowadays Penon gives you a choice of plug when you order any of the 3, Globe, Orb or DOME. It’s just personally I would want an adequate cable provided and that’s what you get. The cable tests today provide a window view into what would happen if you chose to upgrade your cable…..even then there are a few price ranges of the tested cables with the top being the Penon OSG at $299.00. But this included cable means Penon is balancing out the quality and giving you the most they can with-in reason. I am happy they have kept the DOME price at relatively low cost for the sound provided. Sure they actually could have provided the $169.00 ASOS in the box with the DOME, except that would have raised the cost of the DOME from the current price of $349.00 to probably around $500.00. Now there is nothing wrong with that as the DOME/ASOS configuration absolutely sounds like $500.00. It’s just the IEM probably does more for the total sound…………..which means they are giving people an adequate cable and allowing them to upgrade if they desire.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/penon-asos.26795/

The included cable:


Some may think the coming cable (side-by-side) list is overly enthusiastic, some may think it's insane. But the DOME is so well rounded that this is not a cable battle, but rather cable wine tasting.



Top to bottom:
ISN G4 (Graphene)
Penon ASOS
Penon Bass
Penon OSG (Graphene)
Penon Vocal
Penon Leo Plus
Penon Mix with Rhodium Plug
Penon Space



ISN G4 (Graphene)
This has become my go to cable for a long while since I got it. Simply correct imaging and tonal responses while still offering the Graphene tone. Graphene offers a boost into which midrange expands out into the stage, except it’s more toned down than the expansion into the stage you get from a pure silver additive. Where it’s basically warmer. The ISN G4 still offers an added blackness of background over many cables, but not to the extreme of the blackness found with the Penon OSG we are testing today. Sure it’s basically 1/3 of the money of the Penon OSG while still delivering the overall Graphene qualities on hand. Where the G4 offers great separation into the stage and a warm fluid style of treble, even lowering the brightness in regards to some treble found with other cables. The bass is well formed and round, even balanced………but does not offer quite the separation and bass itemization that we find with a cable like the new Penon ASOS. So for other IEMs than the DOME, a cable like the ISN G4 may be putting out fires, or aligning the tone to a place where someone is wanting to go. Where the DOME is so well rounded here that different cables are simply a slightly different way to experience the DOME. With how balanced the DOME is there is room to add bass authority or midrange boost, even the treble additions of the Penon Mix find a place in DOME playback. You see, while cables will give a feature tone to an IEM, that feature tone is always mixed with the tone of the IEM. Though after testing many cables at once with an IEM we can slowly learn by contrast what tonal features are from the cable and which tonal features are from the IEM. Yet here today the DOME never gets grumpy or uneven really, which was very different in an IEM?



Penon ASOS:
I like this cable….such favoritism can affect the outcome of tests. If any cable has been my DOME cable the ASOS has been the included cable. In a way this is fair as the ASOS has an uncanny way it relays the sound passages. Everything is itemized and clean. Clear would also be a word I would use. It’s just there is this extra ounce of bass definition here and clarity down below that the Penon Bass cable can’t quite reach. It’s like someone cleaned the windows. Everything takes on both separation, bigness and vividness, and what that brings along with it is emotional interaction. There is a middle ground here, a satisfying way that nothing is too much or too little, better separated than the SPACE and more sculpted, to where you can look down and see things are round then look out to the side and view a beautiful midrange way outside your head. The bass is both clean and controlled yet almost not holding the extra warmth, to where it’s all business here in the bass department, clean. The treble is smooth and paced just right, and there is a section to the midrange which is like a separate area in that the ASOS is offering this clean and correctness that just goes with the DOME in so many ways? Sure I’m going to go on with more cables in this review of cable ads, and each one has a specific value, it’s just that ASOS is incredibly special for what it is. The thing is maybe that the ASOS has an effortlessness that combines with the DOME effortless to make synergy? The fascinating thing is I still have to write a Penon ASOS review about the cable, yet unknowingly have generated much of the needed testing with today's cable side-by-sides. After all the tests were complete, probably the separation and size of stage were the two main features of the ASOS cable, and there was an added clarity to where you were hearing the texture of the instruments, like there was less in the way between the IEM and the source?



Penon Bass:
You know it has been a while since I’ve done the Bass Cable review. And I do kinda hear maybe a little more bass than when I first review it. Still my opinion remains the same about what this cable does. There is a sub-bass that it does enhance yet the lower midrange is lifted. That and there is a wide broad expanse of midrange imaging that has always been what I felt the Bass cable offered. Still in this test today the SPACE is a little more all frequency forward and offering a bigger footprint overall? Where there are a few ways the Bass makes the imaging separated and delineated, but in a slightly downplayed way? Yes, I do hear the bass……the more I listen to this cable I hear surprising amounts of bass? Still though it’s sub-bass? Keep in mind the Bass Cable has a huge following with many members, myself included finding how it goes with the Penon 10th Anniversary IEM. It’s just here today there are better choices?



Penon OSG (Graphene):
This is one of the highlights of my day.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/pe...sed-spc-iem-cables.24554/reviews#review-30754

Amazingly the OSG is a $299.00 cable all by itself. Yes, it is a lot of money, except what it does is special. It’s like the ISN G4 in many ways but one step further into Graphene tone. It has a Rhodium plug stock, which may change the sound too…….a little? Except I’m more concentrating on how it’s a departure from the Graphene G4, in that it has many of the sonic similarities, where the stage is improved, but not with the brighter energy of pure silver. Where here there is a subtle displacement of low-end, actually lower midrange and bass focus into a blacker deeper background. This bringing of elements subdued then is leaving room for the midrange to own a splendor of sorts. A smoother midrange yet owning this Graphene tone, that is hard to describe, though after you get a taste of the G4 and OSG you will realize how they are birds of a feather. Where bass is sculpted and refined giving it somehow more depth and that depth gives the imaging better focus. Same as the midrange and treble which access this smoothness yet are better imaged to me than many cables. The effect is like turning up the saturation of your TV. You are given deeper colors as well as better sculpted 3D creations across the board. I love this cable with the Dome, and if you wanted what is described above, I would suggest maybe order it, though keep in mind it only comes with one style of plug, so you need to choose if you want 3.5mm, 2.5mm or 4.4mm.



Penon Vocal:
Bigger pinna gain segments to your listening. This is where the heart of the vocals sit. So if you have vocal music such presence will be enhanced. Yet what if you are listening to instrumental music? It is in fact enhancing that same pinna gain area, only it is what presence the instrumentation is in that area. See the thing is there are two Sonion BAs maximizing this frequency band anyway, so it can come off a little intense but it’s right on the border of too much. Maximum midrange clarity and all the forwardness that you would think arrives there too. Still there is kinda an idea that where you can have too much bass and too much treble, can you ever have too much midrange, especially if it is done right? Here with the DOME and Vocal we have a giant stage as you would guess the stage is fortified by this extra midrange enhancement, bass is still there and provocative, but not as enhanced as with other cables on this test today. And the treble, it is super nice, following a slight backseat to maybe what a pure silver would do, but it is in the pocket here, simply doing its job and neither pronounced or set back…..just super nice. The DOME has such a way about it that it is clean and balanced so that I can hear the personality of these cables, yet through the eyes of the DOME. Meaning I hear the personality of the Vocal cable, as I heard the personality of the OSG, where the OSG still has a sculpted midrange, it’s not being pushed into the forwardness, like the vocal, and there is a section of deepness that the Graphene does for the OSG, that is not present with the Vocal. In that aspect you get what you pay for when ordering a level of cable, yet there are combinations where the forwardness of the Vocal cable really takes the cake. Here it’s not in any way bad, in fact it is enjoyable with this exhilarating forwardness, especially right after hearing the OSG, and in a way this forwardness of mids is like a microscope, yet not showing the deeper levels of focus into the bass regions like the OSG.



Penon Leo Plus:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/penon-leo-plus-iem-cable-from-penon.24270/reviews#review-30398

Kind-of one of the pricer cables in today's testing, yet you may ask where the money went, what would happen to your DOME if you got the Leo Plus? Gold Alloy, Silver Alloy and Palladium Alloy….these are part of the expense to make such a cable. But obviously there are construction ideas put in place too. I can’t help but compare this Leo Plus to the OSG and Penon Vocal cable I just heard, I know you understand this. The Leo Plus offers a warmer, more inviting low-end that you can't help but notice. Smoother maybe than the OSG, but over-all there is a hint of warmth that is relaxing. And really the upper frequencies also grab hold of that warmth to help parley a style of continuation. Where we are sitting in an easy chair with-out the extreme vocal forwardness of the Penon Vocal cable, sitting slightly back to where stuff is more relaxed, and this warmth of the bass is like a fireplace to where it’s comfy. I promise anyone who chooses to join the DOME with the Leo Plus will find these qualities to be true. Where there isn’t quite the separation of the Graphene of the G4, and what comes out the other end is a subtle more natural and smooth while quite detailed rendition of the DOME. Yet it is all more together in stance, less drastically separated than what the OSG is attempting. The Dome is so well rounded that each of these cable tests are simply another wonderful flavor of fun.



Penon Mix with Rhodium Plug:
A little bit cleaner than the Leo Plus. More contrasty and inside of a bigger stage. A quickness and a responsiveness that could just slightly make the Leo Plus sound sleepy? Here there is a style of separation that comes from mixing copper and silver cables together, that and the Rhodium plug, taking it all over the top. I’m more inside of a world, like a musical aquarium of sorts, which has a level of immersion that has yet to be found from the OSG, Vocal or Leo Plus Cable. Kind-a the way Head-Fi is and with what people are looking for this could maybe pass as the most successful pairing of the day, especially if you are looking for separation. I’m also thinking modern, this has an incredibly modern and new sound. I don’t want to really say better than the Leo Plus because there was a warm romance that made the Leo Plus one of a kind, where here we are basking in imaging and a style of separation which holds each song element into a separate positioning, and being the stage is so very big, it accommodates such positioning.



Penon Space:
After hearing the Penon Mix with Rhodium Plug this was offering a slightly smoother take. But remember when I tap into this smoothness it is incredibly subtle and quite possibly just the difference from getting away from that pure silver cable additive with the Mix? I mean this cable has a reputation for size, and size is here on display. While slightly more cohesive than the spatial clues given off by the Mix? A tad warmer and fuller where the Mix had this separation as its main feature. Here we are more smooth and big, big deep layers and imaging going out the edges of the stage. More filled in like with a subtle warmth that the Leo Plus had, but not as much, not as drastic of warmth, but bigger in size than the Leo Plus. Really though the mids and treble are very Even Steven, with the DOME, like the 10mm driver and 2X Sonion mid BAs are all coming alive, that and the Knowles tweeter is dialed in, dialed in to the place it is meant to be, to make this whole signature work out.


Side by sides:
Here I will use a few Penon creations to understand the character and quality of the DOME:

Left to right:
1) The Penon ORB: $249.00- X1 BA, X1 10mm DD:
2) The Penon GLOBE: $329.00- 1X Knowles treble BA, X1 Sonion BA mids and X1 10mm DD:
3) The Penon Volt: $799.00- 4X Sonion EST, 2X Sonion BAs mids, 1X 10mm DD:

Next row, left to right:
4) The Penon 10th Anniversary: $499.00- 2X Sonion ESTs, 1X Knowles BA High, 1X Sonion BA mids and 2X 6mm biofilm DDs:
5) The Penon DOME: 349.00- 2X Sonion mids, 1X Knowles treble and 1X 10mm PET DD:

The Penon ORB:
This little guy is many a Penon listener’s favorite. And while I personally was a little late to the ORB party, I eventually reviewed it. It could be said the ORB is the start of the Penon House Sound. And while relatively simple in make-up, the ORB never fails to impress. Today we are using the Sony WM1A with MrWalkman’s firmware and the new Penon ASOS cable as well as my regular wide-bore clear silicone ear-tips. Obviously with some makers IEMs, they may require special ear-tips to extend the nozzle length, but somehow all the Penon IEMs in this test today go great with my preferred ear-tips, as well as the ASOS cable? The ASOS cable is great for its technicalities, but also the balance at hand makes it the perfect match for all the test IEMs today. Wow, this ASOS cable may be doing some kind of magic? As the ORB is fully better than I ever remember it today? Maybe the wax has fallen out of my ears? Just big, warm and beautiful? The mystery is just how much performance they (Penon) get out of this single BA? What I could throw rocks at is the fact that there is a slight better separation to the DOME? Where the sound is breathtaking with the little ORB, it’s just slightly more together? But if I was at an IEM show today and someone blindfolded me and placed the ORB in my ears, I would not believe it was the ORB……..must be this new cable? The bass is slightly both out front and clear as day here, then the midrange and treble are very well done for a single BA? I’m astounded here? But to get down to it, yes there is better separation and delineation of events with the DOME, a new level of entertainment.

The Penon GLOBE:
Look, I have a long and convoluted history with the GLOBE. And the crazy part is that it really started after my review? So I did a review and did maybe an adequate job of reviewing it, but then life happened. You know the realities of having the GLOBE around to continuously keep bringing it back to the forefront of testing. But more than that was the fact that even with the limited BAs in use, and a single DD, the Globe kept proving itself over and over again. And while the limited sound of the GLOBE is not perfect, it has something. Something to me in my opinion is a realism, that due to very specific drivers doing their job, it emits a very realistic sound which is harmonically honest. It’s just not as big of a wide-screen TV in immersion power. Yep, a smaller yet quality style of playback. So in many ways Penon is following the book, in that there is an addition of a single driver more and due to inflation it’s probably priced the same? But due to one more driver there is an extra sound tube which helps separate the experience and they did the one thing (else) to add the romance…….they made the stage bigger! So the DOME holds slightly better contrasts and there is a better low-end. I mean sure there are also next level Knowles and Sonion BAs inside the DOME which promote better realism, but you already knew that from my previous writing. This all comes down to a slightly clearer playback, more note realism and slightly less blur while keeping the magic of the GLOBE alive! The GLOBE now lives onward to make new friends, being called the DOME!

The Penon VOLT:
Really, really I get to listen to the VOLT today? I’m like a puppy dog seeing or hearing a treat bag open. My Audiophile tail is wagging silently and internally. Yes, the VOLT is more realistic in presentation. More equipment up-top! In many ways this isn’t fair to do………..though.........throw the $349.00 DOME IEM up against the $799.00 VOLT? Still there is a lot to learn by this match-up. What is surprising is that they offer a relationship of sorts. They are from the same home town, have the same interests, heck the two have the same taste in music, yep……..all of it. You see the VOLT is one of the singularly most well rounded IEM I have ever come across, that and the 10th Anniversary. But to put the pedal to the metal here and get on with this review, because we don’t have all day here. The VOLT is more lush, yet covering many of the same frequency ranges. There is just this silky midrange that sounds like 5 IEMs at once going off outside your ears. Not loud but refined in its existence. Smooth and poised, so very much a quality of display……really the VOLT needs to be put away again.



The PENON 10th Anniversary:
HECK…..this is my favorite, where before the 10th arrived there was only three real favorite IEMs in my lifetime. I only had a true position for three. But the bass smoothness of the 10th somehow won out over the VOLT. Now keep in mind the VOLT is not going anywhere. There are 4 IEMs which are my favorites now and the VOLT and 10th inhabit half of that list. This story will of course go on for years. But if you ask where the 10th is showcasing the skills to make it so, it is while it doesn’t have the romantic midrange of the VOLT it has extra love sitting in the lower regions, a place, a place I can go and be content with how sound takes place. Sure the DOME is more tuned like the VOLT than the 10th, where it just doesn’t have the symphony of midrange that the VOLT contains……..nothing on earth does. But where the DOME and 10th differ is that the stage in the 10th is bigger, yet the 10th doesn’t quite have the cleanness and clearness of the DOME. Sure you have already read my descriptions of what is special about the DOME, and in some ways the 10th can’t reach what the DOME does? Where the 10th is slightly slower in change-ups……..yet bigger, deeper and broader.

Build:
Really as you can see from the comparison photos the build is the perfect size. Truly what else could you possibly be looking for as far as build? 3D medical grade resin shells and complex universal custom design means you are offered great noise occlusion and all day comfort abilities. This testing took place with a lot of cable change outs, only to be continuously met with firm 2Pin grips. There is absolutely no way a regular listener would do as many cable change outs as I?




Packaging and kit:

Conclusion:
Well there you have it, another PENON review in the books. What can I say, Penon are on a roll here. Continuing to make new ideas of sound reproduction which always become fresh and new. To be honest with you I didn’t think Penon could add another winner into their stable of horses? I kind-of thought that they didn’t have it in them to make a $349.00 IEM so interesting and different? I thought that due to the price being less than the recent IEMs they have produced that performance would have to take its toll too. But Penon proved me wrong, what they did was stick to good old-fashioned know how and concepts. Meaning in ways the DOME does take a leap ahead due to driver technology, except that alone would maybe not get us all we have. That’s right, Penon have used good old-fashioned footwork and dialed in a form factor which will fit most (if not all) listeners. They used their basic understanding to utilize the tricks that seem to work. What I mean by working is getting realistic and detailed sound replay. Then they folded in this new generation of BAs and DDs……..to take the DOME to the next level.

$349.00
https://penonaudio.com/PENON-DOME

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Penon Audio for the love and for the DOME Universal IEM review sample.

Disclaimer:
These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Samsung Phone 3.5mm
Shanling UA3 Dongle 4.4mm
HiBy R3 II DAP 4.4mm